1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to computer messaging systems, more particularly, to a method and system of enhancing user interaction with such systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Networked computers can provide numerous helpful applications including allowing people in different locations to communicate with each other. The Internet, a global computer network, has become a popular means of communicating from across the room to across the world. The type of communication ranges from simple one on one text instant messaging, to multiple member chat rooms. Some applications also include video and sound capabilities.
Early text messaging or instant messaging applications were limited to sending and receiving text. For various reasons, including incorporating a “mood” to typed text, people started using emoticons. Emoticons are drawings made from keyboard characters. For example placing a smiley face “:)” after some text would indicate a happy or playful tone to the text.
As innovations in Internet technology advanced, additional features were added to messaging applications such as changing background colors, text colors and font types. One popular feature added to instant messaging applications were enhanced emoticons. Using enhanced emoticons, messaging users could send and receive smiley face pictures or icons instead of just text. These pictures can be animated and add entertainment value to a messaging program.
In the spirit of emoticons some messaging programs allowed users to send images of talking heads to each other. The heads would be animated and would play a sound clip. Talking heads became a way to advertise products such as a movie by using the image of characters in the movie.
A deficiency of talking heads and all computer images and icons is that while the image and the voice clip may help to sell a product, the icons and images do not have content specific information that could link an Internet user to a variety of different types of media related to the image or icon. Currently, in Windows™ applications, “right clicking” on an image of movie A will bring up a context menu including menu items that can be selected to manipulate the image. “Right clicking” on an image of movie B will bring up a context menu with the same items. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved method and system for network communications.